The Eagles are under the direction of new head coach Heidi Pinkerton. Pinkerton inherits a team full of sophomores, including a pair of runners who finished No. 1 and No. 2 at the conference championships. The team is made up of nine sophomores, two juniors and four freshmen. Sophomore Nathan Rankin won the 8K conference championship last season with a time of 26:41.6 and was named ASC Freshman of the Year. Freshman Michael Harris finished second overall with a time of 26:47.6 and was named ASC Newcomer of the Year. As a team, the Eagles finished fifth overall at the conference championships. The Eagles had three top-3 finishes during the 2017 season.
Returners: Dakota Fritts (So.), Luis Garcia (So.), Michael Harris (So.), Jaeden Miller (So.), Nathan Rankin (So.), Edwin Rivera (So.), Juan Sanchez (So.), Chandler Stewart (So.), Rhett Williamson (So.), Tyler O'Banion (Jr.), Jonathon Wood (Jr.)
Newcomers: Misael Perez (Fr.), Petron Brown (Fr.), Simon Khouri (Fr.), Aaron Brown (Fr.)
Fastest 8K time in 2017: 25:25.0 (Nathan Rankin at NCAA III Regional)
Individual Championships in 2017: Michael Harris (Arkansas D-III Championships), Michael Harris (U of O Invitational), Nathan Rankin (ASC Championships)
Highest Team Finish in 2017: 1st (Arkansas D-III Championships)
Coach Pinkerton Quote:
"The men's team is young. They work hard together and push each other. There is good competition within the team that will drive them forward. I think this sophomore group will really step it up this season. We want to do better as a team at our conference championships. Our goal is to do well at our conference and regional races and then hopefully qualify for nationals."
2017 Post-Season: NCAA III Regionals, American Southwest Conference Championships
2017 NCAA III Regional Finish: 23rd of 32
2017 ASC Championship Finish: 5th of 10
2017 NCAA III Regional Participants: Nathan Rankin, Michael Harris, Jaeden Miller, Juan Sanchez, Dakota Fritts, Luis Garcia
2017 Conference Awards: Nathan Rankin (ASC Freshman of the Year, All-Conference First Team), Michael Harris (ASC Newcomer of the Year, All-Conference First Team)
2017 National Awards: Nathan Rankin (All-Region), Nathan Rankin (USTFCCCA All-Academic Team)
2017 ASC Runner of the Week: Michael Harris (4 times)
2018 Schedule
August
31 - Arkansas D-III Championships
September
8 - at UCA Cross Country Challenge
22 - at Chile Pepper Festival
October
6 - University of the Ozarks Invitational
13 - at Little Rock Invitational
27 - at ASC Championships
November
10 - at NCAA III South/Southeast Regional
17 - at NCAA III National Championships